Apparatus for roasting or drying ores.



I. MOLNAR.

APPARATUS FOR ROASTING 0R DRYING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED 0cT.3. 1918.

1,296,834. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Wm awn 0oz 61km a J. MOLNAB. APPARATUS FOR ROA'STING 0R DRYING ORES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1918.

1,296,834. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MOLNAR, F GOOSE BILL. MONTANA.

APPARATUS FOR ROASTING OR DRYING ORES.

Application filed October 3. 1918.

To all whom it may concern.

lie it known that I. Josurii Monxan. a subject of the Emperor of Hungary. residing at (ioosc llill. in the county of (houtea'u and State of Montana. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Roasting or Drying ()res. of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention relates to furnaces or roasting apparatuses or more particularly to an apparatus whereby the desulfurizing and oxidizing of pyrites through the agency of heatis gradually accomplished so that the removal of valuable metal from the pyritesv by any amalgan'iatin'g process is facilitated.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to )rovide an improved device of this character having an improved system of water piping arranged to cool the moving machinery parts so that they will not be injured by the excessive heatwithin the apparatus.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device of this character which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction. but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are-(n-dinarily subjected.

For a full description of the invention aml the advantages and merits thereof. reference is to be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawings,in which Figure l is a vertical section through the apparatus constructed in aecordaiu'e with mv invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line '.Z-2 of Fig. i.

Fig. 2B is an enlarged detail section of the structure employed for connecting the. water distributing pipes with the hollow driving shaft.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of passing the lubricating pi is through the water pipe to connect, with tae bearing.

Referring to the drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention. in which like characters of reference indicate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views. the furnace casing l is preferably constructed from an outer shell of sheet metal having an interior lining of tire brick, as indicated at '2 in the manner common to furnaces of this type. The casing is suitably supported as shown and is provided at its top with supporting elements Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Mar. 11. 1919.

Serial No. 256.749.

3 which retain a hopper l in position above the top otthc furnace. This hopper receives the ore and the same is conducted into the furnace through the discharge pipe 5. The furnace i preferably of cylindrical formation as illustrated by l'igs. 1 and '2 aml is provided at its center with a verticallv extending centrally located housing 43 which is also constructed of tire-proof material such as tire brick and has an interior metallic lining indicated at T. This housing may be of any preferred diameter and inav be enlarged to accommodate any change in the gearing mechanism which may be required and which falls within the scope of the present invention. .trranged within the furnace and extending around the housing is a plurality of floors or platforms 8 which as shown are arranged in superposed relation and are attached in any preferred manner to the wall of the furnace so that they are suitably supported. Each platform consists of a plurality of tapered segments which. as shown. are transversely arcuate. to give added strength to the platform aml also to provide, the corrugated surface which is formed hv the arcuate construction of the segment S Fire brick or tiles may be employed in the. coi'istructitm of these platforms and consequently radially extending supporting beams may be resorted to to prt'iperly retain the platforms in position. It is to he observed by referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing that the platforms are alternately eoncaved and convexed and since any number of the platforms may be employed it should be understood that this alternate arrangement of the convexed and concaved platform is. carried out throughout the system when a gi'eater or less number of platforms are employed. Inasmuch as the pipe or discharge ducts are relatively close to the housing. the uppermost platform is, convexed as shown and. for the purposes of illustration. the angle is sharper than would ordinarily be the case, it being merely necessarv to have sufficientslope to the platform whereby the ore will be slowly carried toward the edges. The outer marginal edges of the convexed platform are provided with a series of circumferentially spaced openings 9 and the inner marginal edges of the concaved platform.

only one of which is illustrated .in the. present drawings. are provided with a series of similar openings the purpose of which will presently appear. It should be understood that the )lattorms are supported from the outer wall of the furnace and consequently their inner edges are nearly in contact with the wall of the housing so that the latter is permitted to rotate. A water supply pipe 11 is extended beneath the furnace and has a vertical extension 12 disposed eentrally. the terminal of which carries a union 13 to receive the lower end of the centrally located hollow shaft 14 which extends centrally and vertically through the housing (3 and has its upper end journaled in the bot tom of the hopper 4 so that it is permitted to rotate. A beveled gear 15 in mesh with a driving beveled gear 16 on a driving shaft 17 is arranged to impart rotary movement to the hollow shaft. This shat't l-l is adapted to rotate at a greater speed than does the housing (5 and consequently the relatively large beveled gear 18 provided on the lower end of the housing is driven by a correspondingly large beveled gear 19 which is mounted, in the present instance upon a rotatable sleeve 20 embracing the shaft 17. the sleeve 20 and the shaft 17 being adapted to be driven by belts passing over pulleys '21 and 22 respectively, although it will be under:

stood 1n this connection that any other suitable means may be employed for imparting the necessary power to the gears 15 and 15 on the shaft 1t and housing (3.

Disposed above the upper surface of each platform is a plurality of agitating elements which extend substantially radially from the housing 6 and rotate therewith. Each agitating element comprises a hollow tubular member having its inner end extended through a packing box 24 in the housing. and provided at its inner terminal with a beveled gear These hollow tubular membars are provided with segmental leaves 26 which act as agitators for the ore. The outer end of each tubular member is jour naled in a boxing 27 shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawing, this boxing having an open space 28 which is in coiiiiinuiicatioii with the open end of the tubular member 23. The members 23 are tubular for the purpose of receiving water from the hollow shaft 14- and inasmuch as the hollow shaft rotates at a different speed from that of the housing ti, a connection between the tubular members 23 and the hollow shaft 14 is established by the structure shown in detail in Fi 3. The union member 30 comprises a su stantially frnsto-conical member rotatably secured to the hollow shaft 14 and having an interior annular passage-way 31. The inner end of each tubular member is open and the inner ends of each series of these members are connected to the union 30 so that communication is established between theannular space 31 and the interior of the tubular members. The tubular or hollow shaft 14 is provided with a number of apertures 32 situated to permit the water to flow from the hollow shaft into the space ill as the parts rotate. lt will be noted that packing rings 35 are provided for the purpose of preventing any leakage of the water. The tubular shaft is also provided with driving gears it which mesh with the beveled gears 2.) on the agitator element for the purpose of imparting rotary motion thereto. Thus it will be seen that the agitator elements swing with the housing (3 and also rotate so that the ore is thoroughly agitated while the device is in operation. The water is for the purpose of cooling the machine parts and consequently must be in constant circulation. Therefore I have provided water discharge pipes 3twhich extend radially above the agitator ele ments and have their outer ends in communication with the open spaces 28 in the boxings. The opposite ends of the pipes 36 are extended through openings in the housing and are led upwardly to the top thereof where they are bent to provide discharge spouts 37 which discharge the water into an annular trough 38 mounted on the top of the casing or housing. From this trough the water is permitted to pass into a discharge pipe 39 which is extended downwardly through the interior of the housing and out through the lower open end thereof where the waste water will be discharged. In operation. the ore will be placed in the hopper 4 and permitted to pass through the pipes for distributing the ore on the 11ppermost platform 8. 'hile the machine is in operatioia the housing will rotate and consequently the agitating elements will also rotate therewith and thoroughly agitate the ore while the inclined structure of the plat form causes the ore to move to the outer marginal (edge thereof where it drops through the open spaces 9. During this time. the shaft 14 is also rotating and the rotary movement is imparted to the tubular members '23 through the medium of the gears 34 and 25 so that the ore is still more agitated. The corrugated surfaces presented by virtue of the arcuate formation of the sections 8' of the. platform will assist in more thoroughly agitating the ore while the agitator elements are in operation. The ore passing through the openings 9 is received on one of the convexed platforms 8 and it will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that this platform is inclined toward the housing (1 and the openings 10 will permit the ore to drop from the. platform and be received upon a skirt 40 which is flared outwardly so that the ore will be discharged toward the platform 8 which is the nextv one in the series. In this connection it should be pointed out that any number of platforms may be provided and they may be arranged at a greater or less angle as desired. The heating medium may be of any preferred kind as the apparatus of this kind is usually arranged in close proximity to a suitable furnace which supplies the heat to the interior of the roaster and the desulfur izing and oxidizing is accomplished while the apparatus is in operation so that when the ore is received at the bottom of the apparatus, it will be in proper condition for obtaining the metals of value.

It is also necessary to lubricate the journals since the terrific heat has a tendency to cause rapid wear of the parts and Fig. 4 illustrates the manner of connecting an oil pipe 41 with the journal box '27. The oil pipes 41 are led through each of the water pipes on the interior thereof so that the water keeps the oil cool enough to prevent rapid flow and at the same time supplies sufficient oil to each of the bearings so that all of the parts are lubricated. In Fig. 1 it will be noted that an oil duct 42 is provided in the housing to supply each packing box 24 with oil.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference to what might be considered to be the preferred or approved form of my invention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials, dimensions etcetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope .of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A roaster comprising a casing having a plurality of superposed platforms mounted therein and provided with openings whereby communication is established between the spaces between the proximate surfaces of.

platforms, and agitator elements adapted to swing above the upper surface of each platform to agitate the material received thereon, and means to actuate the said agitator elements to cause them to simultaneously swing in a circle and rotate.

2. A roaster comprising a casing having a plurality of inclined superposed platforms arranged therein, a centrally disposed rotatable housing extended through the centers of the platform, each housing carrying a plurality of agitator elements adapted to swing when the housing is rotated, a shaft member extended centrally through the housing and provided with gears, and gears mounted on the agitator elements and disposed within the housing and in mesh with the said gears on the central shaft to impart rotary movement of the said agitating element while swinging with the said housing.

3. In a roaster of the character described, the casing having a plurality of platforms mounted therein, a centrally disposed housing adapted to rotate, a plurality of agitator elements carried by the housing and adapted to rotate above the said platforms, a series of the said agitator elements being provided above each platform. each of the said agitator elements including a hollow tubular memher, a hollow shaft adapted to drive the said tubular members, the open ends of the tubular members being in communication with the said hollow shaft; in combination with a source of water supply connected to the said hollow shaft and a plurality of water pipes connected to the outer ends of the said agitator elements whereby a circulation of water is provided through the said hollow shaft and the. tubular members and the said discharge piping.

-i:. In a roasterof the character described, the casing having a plurality of platforms mounted therein, a centrally disposed housing adapted to rotate, a plurality of agitator elements carried by the housing and adapted to rotate above the said platforms, a series of the said agitator elements being provided above each platform, each of the said agitator elements including a hollow tubular memher, a hollow shaft adapted to drive the said tubular members, the open ends of the tubular members being in communication with the said-hollow shaft; in combination with a source of water supply connected to the said hollow shaft and a plurality of water pipes connected to the outer ends of the said agitator elements whereby a circulation of water isiprovided through the said hollow shaft and the tubular members and the said discharge piping, and a plurality of oil conveyeach platform and including tubular memhers projected into the housing and provided with gears in mesh with the gears on the said central shaft, and means connected to the said tubular members to carry the water discharged into the members from the said hollow shaft.

6. An ore roasting furnace comprising a casing, having a plurality of platforms mounted therein, each platform being provided with discharge openings to permit the ore from the platform to drop to the lowermost platform, a rotatable housing provided on its interior with a tubular shaft connected to a source of water supply and provided with a plurality of gears adapted to rotate with the shaft. a shrine n'F ao'itatfir elements mounted above each platform and including a plurality of transversely arcuate segments tubular members rojected into the housing and provided wit 1 gears in mesh with the gears on the said central shaft, and means connected to the said tubular members to carry the water discharged into the members i from the said hollow shaft, and means to drive the said hollow shaft and housing at different speeds,

7. An ore roasting furnace comprising a casing having a plurality of platforms mounted therein, each platform comprising for presenting a substantial] corrugated surface on the top of the plat orm, a rotatable housing centrally disposed and provided with a series of agitator elements mounted above the platform and adapted to operate over the said eorru ated surface and means for rotatelement.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH MOLNAR. 

